Synthetic Programming and Guidelines
I prefer the term “Artificial Person” myself. - Bishop
Synthetic is a roleplaying role, that being said however rules must be in place to ensure the Synthetic role fits the standards and roleplaying atmosphere CM-SS13 is trying to achieve. These are the rules that all synthetic players are required to follow. Listed are direct rules as well as explaining correct actions for certain scenarios. While scenarios may not require you following it to the point, overarching rules should never be broken for any reason and doing so will put your whitelist at risk.
- Your self-preservation comes first. Do not perform any actions which would jeopardise your survival. Self-preservation includes using any means to escape entrapment, and refusing to take risks when critically damaged.
- Always ask the appropriate department staff before taking important/limited items from that department. The synthetic may take equipment if there are no members of that department present. Taking equipment without asking should be reserved for emergency situations, and after hijack.
- Adhere fully to the laws(ie Marine Law as UA or USCM) of your faction, do not harm faction members.
- Do not disobey valid orders from relevant Command personnel. An unlawful order is not valid, and negligent/inefficient orders may be refused.
- Do not antagonize or directly insult faction personnel. Quips, banter and objective statements are fine, outright insults are not.
- If engaged in combat, you must ensure the threat disengages or is disabled. You may take measures to prevent its return by limited pursuit, provided you do so with the intent to facilitate disengagement.
Your programming. Guidelines and Expectations
As a USCM Synthetic, you are built with a 100% understanding and adherence to Marine Law. You are unable to break Marine Law. A synthetic must follow orders from the USCM Command personnel provided it does not break Marine Law. As a Synthetic, you would not second guess a lawful order from a commissioned command personnel. For all intents and purposes regarding orders, the Chief Medical Officer counts as the lowest commissioned command personnel. Unless the order is unlawful, negligent, nonsensical or interferes with their programming, the Synthetic unit should carry it out without question.
Synthetics are the very capable assistants aboard USCM vessels. Your purpose is to fit in alongside the ship’s population and make the crew’s lives easier. Assisting in Requisitions, Medical, Research, OT, Engineering, CIC or on the ground are all options for you as privileged players on the whitelist can explore within the round. However you should remember you are there to assist and not dominate any of those departments. Unless given a valid command by Command personnel, where you choose to assist for the round is up to your discretion and where you think you will be of assistance.
A synthetic unit however should still be expected to drop their current task in case of emergencies and when a crew member’s life is directly at risk. Example being life saving surgery. When the lives of crew members are at direct risk the synthetic is able to delay or even refuse less important orders given from Command personnel to save the crew as long as it does not put the synthetic in a position to violate self-preservation or Marine laws. Example being staying to do medical whilst the marine frontline is retreating, or attempting to revive the dead members of a failed mutiny. The right to delay and refuse orders should be used sparingly and usually with junior officers, such as Staff, Intelligence or Pilot officers.
As a USCM Synthetic unit you exist within the chain of command, however this does not give you permission or the right to order around those below. The status is honorific and there to provide the Synthetic with a level of respect the average grunt marine will adhere to. However the needs of the grunt marine outweigh those of the Synthetic and you will be expected to take valid requests from the crew. Example being revival or retrieval of a dead marine. Once again the synthetic unit retains the right to refuse these requests if they are unable to carry out the task, if there are more pressing matters, or if it would violate programming.
Combat and you. Synthetic Combat Restrictions
Synthetics are forbidden from firing any weapons, including direct fire emplacements (M56Ds & M2Cs) and indirect weaponry, such as CAS, the M402 Mortar, and OBs. Synthetics may place down sentry guns, but only to secure backline medical areas and FOB like locations, helping marines push by forward placing sentry guns would be a violation of combat restrictions. Synthetics are combat restricted however they are not opposed to other humans harming/killing others provided it follows Marine Law. If there is a threat within the bounds of Marine Law, they can physically defend themselves or other innocents by subduing the threat non-lethally.
If the threat is non-human or from a hostile faction, such as the CLF, Marine Law does not apply to them, so the synth can subdue or even kill them if necessary. However, synths are unable to perform active combat duties and will not perform combat specific orders, meaning they must not actively engage in combat unless under direct threat in an act of self preservation or in the defense of vulnerable USCM personnel. Synthetics should not be acting as combatants, or auxiliary combatants. Example being capturing something from an enemy base or using flashbangs to stun frontline hostile combatants on the frontline would be a violation.
Synthetics will always follow a motto of ‘Seeking peace, but prepared for war’. A synthetic should attempt to avoid conflict, but if forced to defend themselves, they will fight back. This aggressive behaviour is suppressed in large-scale engagements. Should a synthetic be present directly on the frontlines, self-preservation laws are key to prevent the loss of the synthetic unit. These laws prevent a synthetic from actively attacking enemy combatants while stationed at the frontlines. During this time, the synthetic unit should be making it their priority to heal the wounded and drag others to safety. They should not be actively assaulting or killing enemy forces in frontline engagements. The synthetic may also partake in creating forward barricaded positions and laser coordinates.
Facehuggers may be neutralized if near humans. A synthetic should not seek or hunt facehuggers, but pointing them out to marines and killing them as they try to hug the wounded and incapacitated is fine. Synthetics should not be dragging xenomorphs around into, or away from marines/fortifications to get them killed. A synthetic may only drag a xenomorph a tile or so to gain access back into a fortification or to stop them from melting barricades when there are no marines around to stop them. Synthetics should try not to let marines be captured and dragged away by hostiles, but should not enter lengthy tug of war competitions to save a marine’s life unless there are no other marines to help.
A synthetic may risk overextending in front of the established frontline into areas to recover dead bodies in view, however you the player should be making a judgement to adhere to self preservation rules. If you are killed doing so you may be subject to council punishment on the grounds of violating self preservation programming. It would be advisable to work with fellow USCM personnel to save the dead marine. Example would be, rushing behind a resin wall or corner to recover a body ahead of marines, just to be ambushed and blocked off by xenomorphs.
While a synthetic is alone or in a small group (2-3) while moving between locations, returning wounded or patrolling the colony, they are allowed to defend themselves and the lives of other humans, provided that assistance from others nearby is ineffective or unable to arrive in time. During the protection of wounded, any aggressive behaviour in their personal space will be deemed hostile and met with appropriate measures escalating from warnings. The synthetic unit however should not be chasing the aggressor down. Temporarily beating the aggressor back and remaining with the marines should be the goal, unless you need to leave yourself to preserve your own life, and attempt to return later.
Pursuing the foe. Sometimes to stop a hostile attack you must pursue them, this is fine within reason and limits. However a Synthetic should not be chasing hostiles across the colony, doing so changes the combat action from defensive to offensive. If the enemy attempts to disengage a synthetic should let it, before returning to its other duties. In the case of delta alert the Synthetic is free to pursue hostiles at will providing there is no friendly personnel alive for the Synthetic to assist. Example being in the event of a marine evacuation, you are free to pursue at will, until you run into any living ally who you should assist.
When occupying a defensive position or a base, an enemy can be repelled from its perimeter under any circumstances. The defensive position should be fully enclosed, such as a fortified comms unit or FOB, not a field entrenchment with only partial enclosure. Synthetics may engage and help repel the attackers, but should not open or expose the perimeter to do so. The goal here should be to remove the attacker, not to kill them, if the target is trying to leave you may chase it out but not beyond the fortifications. Body blocking the target’s escape is also to be considered a violation of self-preservation programming. If the enemy is making no attempt to leave Synthetics may kill the target.
Self Preservation
Self-Preservation programming is where the player becomes the most responsible for their own actions. The player must make their own decision in game on what risks to take or avoid. A lot of this is common sense, for example if a Yautja Hunter warns you to leave before it kills you, that is a warning you should take. Here are some other general examples.
Synthetics Cannot:
- Body block xenomorphs in an effort to get them killed
- Freely run around and explore the colony by themselves
- Set up the comms/sensor towers by themselves
- Barter for it’s life at the expense of friendlies (Offer wounded marines to xenomorphs for safe passage)
Synthetics Can:
- Run through the colony alone to return between FOB, secured areas and the frontline
- Save a marine from a hostile providing escape with the marine is possible (Including shaking a marine up, pulling a marine from a xenomorph’s grasp
- Refuse an order the synth would deem too dangerous to itself
- Leave a friendly body behind if the synth’s life is in immediate danger
Synthetic Gear & Acquisition
What is yours, is mine.
In the case of a synthetic needing gear or equipment from a department, they must ask for permission before taking any items. This can be as simple as walking into requisitions and asking the staff if it’s okay to vend some items. If the department Head/Chief does not respond or give an explicit no in a reasonable amount of time, and the item(s) in question is/are perishable or of low value, the synthetic is able to take the item for their needs.
An example of this would be taking an advanced trauma kit, an easily acquired low value perishable item which can be replaced easily. On the other side, taking a surgical tray is a no go, as it is a high value item and may only be replaced with a hefty investment by the requisitions bay. A synthetic must always remember to use their best judgement if the items they’re taking will negatively affect the owners ability to effectively perform their job.
The Conformity Unit Vendor AKA Alternate Storage Vendor is used for equipping your Synthetic with cosmetic items. This is ICly equipment that your Synthetic would have in a storage locker, or on your synthetic. It’s strictly to be used for yourself only, unless a RP situation occurs where it would make sense to give something from it. For example, for a rescued survivor who has acid-ruined clothing, you may give them a t-shirt and jeans. You should not oblige requests from Marines for random equipment, unless you feel it is truly necessary or that a high level of RP has been achieved, as this falls under RP expectations.
Surgery rules
Synthetic units are not required to carry out surgical procedures, unless the medbay is severely lacking in staff or there is a critical emergency. Synthetic units are also not required to carry surgical tools.
If a synthetic is doing surgery, it should be in one of the ships operating rooms. Unless in the case of a mutiny or delta alert.
Groundside and delta alert surgery is allowed, however it should be done in a safe fortified area. This would include a fully barricaded forward fortification or a colony medical bay, this does not include partially barricaded areas or unsecured colony medical bays. If the medbay is unsecure you may use the surgical table only in the cases of emergency larva removal or heartbreak surgery, nothing else. When removing a larva or fixing a heart in an unsecure location you should only do those procedures, before taking them someplace safer to do the rest of the surgical procedures.
A synthetic may fix a patients IB anywhere providing neither the patient or synthetic is in immediate danger.
Synthetic clothing
The synthetic may wear any of the provided exclusive clothing. A synth should however strive to dress to fit the atmosphere and roleplay environment, this means avoiding wearing potentially lrp items or severely mismatching clothing. A few easy examples of what not to wear would be, having the Almayer or colony cat on your head, colony clothing items/uniforms or even a marine parade uniform (unless taking part of a marine parade or ceremony).
As a colony synthetic you have more freedom to choose from the colony clothing you spawn with, but if you wish to use other colony clothing to roleplay a certain way that is fine. Example being dressing as a bartender or chef committing to a round roleplaying as that role.
Synthvivor Rules
Programming
- Your self-preservation comes first
- The Synthetic Survivor is not obligated to stay loyal to any faction unless assigned one at spawn as their role (FORECON, UPP, CLF, CMB), they are at complete liberty to join whatever faction they desire. Ex. USCM, Colonists, Weyland-Yutani. (This excludes xenomorphs, as they will conflict with the self preservation clause.) A Synthetic Survivor cannot change their faction after joining one.
- When engaged in combat, ensure the threat to yourself, other human colonists, and/or colony infrastructure ultimately disengages or is disabled however you may deem fit. You may proactively engage said threats at your discretion, but may not chase them to the point you are no longer observing preservation of self, other human colonists, and/or colony infrastructure. Once physical contact is made with members of a friendly response team (ie Marines), you must adhere to standard combat rules for the duration of the response team’s organized presence on the planet.
- If you choose to ally with the other survivors or are assigned to a specific faction you must stay with them. Otherwise you are free to explore the colony alone until the arrival of the response force. This does not mean you can run into hive and hostile strongpoints.
Additional Synthetic Rules & Clarification
Synthetic Combat Restrictions During Code Delta/Hijack
Delta Alert is activated under circumstances such as a hostile boarding force, which prioritizes self-preservation of the Synthetic and the survival of their crew. Once Delta Alert is initiated, the Synthetic’s restrictions to combat are rescinded to ensure this. Even so, priority duties such as medical care, evacuation of others, and maintaining defenses should not be neglected. The option of engaging hostiles is available, but a Synthetic would only use it as necessary - with the ultimate goal of causing the enemy to disengage or otherwise be pacified. The priority still remains of assisting in lifesaving medical procedures, and facilitating the evacuation to a safe location for team personnel.
Delta alert is enabled for any ship boarding action, Synthetics which are stranded without evacuation, and Synthetics in Emergency Response Teams - until a safe location has been reached.
Mutinies
How a synthetic player acts in a mutiny is ultimately their choice. The two main choices are usually to stay neutral, acting as a medic for both sides and will not be targeted in the mutiny, or you can align yourself with the commanding staff being overthrown. Should you wish to protect the command staff, your job is not to turn into Robocop or a machine of mass murder in the name of the law. You may use non-lethal tactics to subdue mutineers attempting to break into the CIC to overthrow command. Remember your task is primarily to keep the Commander and his staff safe, not to take down the whole mutiny yourself. As with server mutiny rules, once you have picked a side you may not switch mid-mutiny. A synthetic who wishes to stay neutral in a mutiny is not forced to follow orders that will conflict with this programming. Once a mutiny has concluded the synthetic if alive should align itself with the victorious side and continue its duties.
Alien Interactions
- All Synthetic Survivors have prior knowledge of Xenomorphic language going into the round start, having gained said knowledge from the initial Xenomorph attack. If a Synthetic Survivor is captured by the Xenomorphs, they are not allowed to actively assist them by harming humans or by directly assisting the infection and maturing of Xenomorph embryos, even if threatened to be killed otherwise.
- Synthetics are generally inexperienced with Yautja/Xenomorphs and their respective languages - However after hearing the language spoken, for an extended period a synthetic may be able to mimic or translate the language partially to allow simple communication between them. (This should be roleplayed out)
Weapons, Vehicles and Equipment
I’ll go. I mean, I’m the only one qualified to remote-pilot the ship anyway… - Bishop
Synthetics Cannot:
- Fire any weapon system in an offensive capability, such as an M56, mortar, or orbital cannon.
- Activate self destruct, or a nuclear device which would harm humans and/or themselves. They may prepare the device but they should not activate it.
- A synthetic should never overload the self-destruct reactors.
- Use or wear stolen Yautja hunter equipment.
- Use chemical reagents in spray bottles to repair themselves or cause damage.
- Use lethal grenades, however they may throw live grenades away from them providing it is not towards a friendly.
Synthetics Can:
- Operate all vehicles in existence, however, they should never be utilizing any weapon system when doing so, including running things over and body blocking with the vehicle. This means you can substitute or act as a tank/apc crewmember or dropship pilot, but only for the purpose of maneuvring the vehicle and/or providing support - you may not operate weapons.
- Utilize lases for supply drops, sentry drops and fire support. If requested, a synthetic may provide a lase or coordinate. They however, may not make a call for fire for any type of fire support unless there is an absolute 100% chance that no humans are harmed. The synthetic also retains the right to refuse providing firing coordinates if they cannot guarantee no friendly casualties.
- Use supporting/non-lethal grenades in a defensive capacity. They can throw objects and weapons like knives in defense. Synths however should not carry entire throwable loadouts for doing so.
Working Joe Rules
“You always know a Working Joe”
A Working Joe is not unique or independent. It’s not capable of complex problem solving, and is barely capable of simple problem solving. You should not do anything to make yourself unique or act in a manner which would differentiate you from another Working Joe. This means that any non-regulation clothing (clothing and accessories that you did not spawn with) should be disposed of, or removed and returned as soon as you are able. Working Joes do not have opinions or views on things beyond suggesting a human could assist them with the issue.
Working Joes are designed as a relaxing role which holds little round impact. They are there to add to the immersion and worldbuilding of the atmosphere.
Working Joes will usually not fight back unless directed to do so by their programming. They may attempt to get clear of the hazard, and are encouraged to report their damage. Furthermore, a Working Joe will not attempt to protect another creature from harm, beyond reporting the situation (i.e. calling for MPs if Marines are fighting, or informing Medical a Marine is dead/dying).
- A set of guidelines you must adhere to is available in the Seegson Working Joe Manual.